The timeless words, “I’ll be home for Christmas” can sometimes set the stage for tension, particularly among family and couples. The seasonal pressure to make everything (and everybody) instantly cheerful and merry can be stressful. Couples fight for a variety … Continue reading
The Christmas season can sometimes generate the perfect storm when relationships mix with the spending of money. Lingering financial issues often become a source of, shall we say … discussion … when debating what to spend on Aunt Myrna’s Christmas … Continue reading
Though it sounds sort of magical and mysterious, the power of suggestion can often be a part of everyday life. For example, let’s say you mistakenly drink a caffeinated beverage close to bedtime, but don’t realize it until the next … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd, My sister is a Catholic. Several years ago she married a wonderful man who happens to be Jewish. They have been very happy — up until now. She is pregnant, and they’ve started to argue vehemently over … Continue reading
A reader emails that her father always cautioned her that “the grass is always greener”, i.e., that she should keep searching for something better than what she already has. She asks me if an endless quest for that “something better” … Continue reading
A visitor to my website writes, “My wife of two years goes out of her way to control me. Everything from constant phone calls asking where I am, to ordering me to go to sleep when it suits her, or … Continue reading
A reader of this column tells me that she is frustrated with her teenage son. She wants to remind him that she encourages his independence but that he should at least listen to her opinions since she’s still paying for … Continue reading
Much of what people talk to me about in my office is about making it through life, day-to-day. Things can get pretty scary out there and people can get overwhelmed. From my experience I’ve come up with six basic things … Continue reading
A regular reader sent me an email asking for my perspective on an interesting psychological oddity, namely, people who don’t like to be treated well. Most of us want to be treated with kindness and respect, but she specifically refers … Continue reading
Memory problems are frustrating. People joke about “senior moments” while others worry about the possibility of dementia. Dementia is actually a disease of the brain, but normal memory ultimately has more to do with how you manage (or don’t manage) … Continue reading
Rarely does a social occasion go by that somebody doesn’t ask me what a psychotherapist does, and what actually happens behind the closed doors of a therapy session. I resist the urge to mumble something about secret handshakes, decoder rings … Continue reading
When facing an important decision about relationships and other personal issues, it’s often best to consider your own advice first. After all, who’s better suited to know what’s right for you than … you? Recently, I spoke with a friend … Continue reading